New bloody music coming with bloody tour?

My Bloody Valentine is coming to Chicago to play in late September at the Aragon. They still haven’t released any new music though since Loveless.

I was still in college when these guys were making music. It’s like the 90s all over again, when it was cool to go see geezers like the Stones, The Who, the Dead, Steve Miller, Kinks, etc.

Except instead of seeing a bunch of old farts jump around on stage and pretend they are young, these shoegeezers will give the audience exactly what they want: fuzzy loud guitars and unintelligible lyrics. Even if they do produce some new music, will it sound any different? Will anyone notice if they play a new tune?

The Return of Beulah (but not Beulah)

Miles

Years ago, there was a band called Beulah. They were one of the hardest-working indie-rock bands in the biz, and they were awesome. So awesome they even made a concert tour DVD and I’m in it, along with my WifeWiferson, Rev. Dave and Mark.

Then they broke up and we were all very sad. That was five years ago, and I’ve since spent my time re-listening to their music, falling in love with them over-and-over again. In fact, when I’m listening to them at work and someone asks, “what is that dulcet tone?” I am excited to tell them all about Beulah and even rip them a few songs.

But my drought of new tunes is starting to end, because Miles Kurosky, former lead singer of Beulah, is finally expected to release his solo album. He’s posted the first single called An Apple for An Apple on his MySpace page, and it’s pretty excellent.

As expected it’s similar in lyric an tone to Beulah–dark, downbeat poetry wrapped in an summery, pop sound. And as expected, I pretty much love it.

Listen here.

Rockommercial: Chevy Malibu causes lazy eye

Silversun Pickups’ “Lazy Eye” is the latest indie track used to help sell cars. It’s featured in the new Chevy Malibu commercial below:

Willie is still smokin’

Willie Nelson celebrated his 75th b-day on 4/29.

In honor of the guy who battled the IRS (and lost) and then went on to recoup his millions while creating his own bio-fuel, here’s a good’un featuring his buddy Snoop in Amsterdam.

RADIOHEAD_VH1_MAY3

What a huge surprise — this sneak peek at a live performance by Radiohead, which will air in its entirety on May 3 (VH1’s Live From [Nigel’s] the Basement), sounds so effing awesome that I just started crying and wet my pants at the same time. That’s a lot of liquid folks.

video.vh1.com

Unbelieveable New Song: Grizzly Bear

Yes, it’s true. I will admit that I still don’t fully get Grizzly Bear. True, I have not listened to their records enough, but that covers record kinda sent me farther down the wrong path. Also, an EP? I just can’t wrap my head around their lo-fi, form-free business. However, any band opening for Radiohead is OK by me, so I will continue to spin this nonsense.

Today, I was surfing the internet, via my computer, and stumbled upon this radical new song by the aforementioned Brooklyn-based quartet. Have a listen, and then download the darn thing.

As a maniacal tagger in iTunes, I will have trouble with a song that has no record yet attached to it, but for this tune, I will make an exception, as it is exceptional. And a bit more accessible than their previous stuff.

Download in good health.

MacroReview: Currently Pumping from My Stereo

With the understanding that I have a penchant for burning myself out of fabulous records by listening to them over and over, things are good right now, with about seven great records spinning on my iphone.

Get yourself these records with a quickness.

Islands - Arm's Way
Islands
Arm’s Way

Black Lips - Attack and Release
The Black Lips
Attack and Release

Lupe Fiasco - The Cool
Lupe Fiasco
The Cool

Tapes n' Tapes - Walk it Off
Tapes n’ Tapes
Walk it Off

Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead
Helio Sequence
Keep Your Eyes Ahead

Ruby Suns - Sea Lion
Ruby Suns
Sea Lion

Does It Offend You, Yeah? hates your clever band name

Chk Chk Chk
Leave it to the Brits to ask what we’ve all been wondering. Why is Vampire Weekend’s name so lame? Your answer to that and many more at the UK’s aptly named newspaper, The Independent

I think my favorite part is learning how to pronounce !!!. I never knew and I feel out of the loop.

(Thanks be to Rebecca for forwarding me the light)

Lollopalooza Complete Lineup Announced

FINAL LOLLAPALOOZA LINEUP

Is this even news any longer?

While there is no way I will attend this festival of human kindness, I do like reading through the list of bands and noting which I would like to see. Alas, they will likely be drowned out by a larger stage sound system or booked concurrently with my other favorite act.

I think more festivals should be selling DVDs with key sets and artists included. That would make a mint.

qkn

Radiohead to play second Chicago show?

thom yorkePitchfork revealed dates and locations of the second leg of Radiohead’s North American tour this morning, and something jumped out at me that made me a bit excited, and more than a bit apprehensive about when to purchase Radiohead tickets, and to what shows.

It also made me a bit more hopeful than I was since last week’s confirmation that Radiohead will headline Lollapalooza — hopeful that maybe I wouldn’t have to attend Chicago’s third annual sweat-and-squint music festival:

07-08 Berlin, Germany - Wuhlheide
nearly a month of downtime
08-01 Chicago, IL - Grant Park (Lollapalooza)
what about 08-02???
08-03 Indianapolis, IN - Verizon Wireless Music Center

Not sure about you guys, but I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if that day between Lolla and Indy gets filled by another Radiohead show in Chicago, hopefully at a smaller venue. Or maybe a couple shows will be added before the Lolla performance, but I think that’s a less-likely scenario if for no other reason than potential canibaLOLLAization.

My fingers are crossed as I watch the band’s Pitchfork.tv-exclusive performance of “Bangers and Mash,” taped in Nigel Godrich’s basement. There’s some other good stuff on Pitchfork.tv, which officially launched today, including performances from Liars and Jay Reatard, and loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies, showing for one week only.

Congrats, PF. Can’t wait until the reality shows start rolling in.